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Interface apparatus and interface methodInterface apparatus and interface method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080052643, Interface apparatus and interface method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-229572, filed on Aug. 25, 2006; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]The present invention relates to an interface apparatus and an interface method for controlling an object apparatus by processing an image of a posture or a motion of a user's physical part. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]An interface apparatus to operate a control object apparatus such as a television or a computer includes an indication device such as a remote commander, a keyboard, or a mouse. However, this indication device is not easy for a user to operate because the user indirectly operates the object apparatus by the indication device. Furthermore, if the user loses the indication device, the user cannot operate the object apparatus. [0004]Accordingly, as an interface apparatus to solve above problem, a hand gesture-user interface apparatus is proposed (JP-A (Kokai) No. 2004-78977). In this apparatus, by moving the user's hand or changing the user's hand posture, the object apparatus can be operated without the indication device. [0005]For example, an image including the user's hand is captured by a CCD camera installed onto a display, and the user's hand posture or motion is recognized from the image. Based on the user's hand posture or motion, shape and position of indication icon displayed on a screen are changed. By such display control, the interface apparatus to be indicated by the user's hand gesture is disclosed. [0006]In this interface apparatus, the user performs a predetermined hand gesture. For example, the user performs a predetermined hand posture, the user makes a predetermined hand gesture, or the user moves his/her hand along a predetermined locus. Briefly, by the predetermined hand gesture, the user can indicate a predetermined command or position corresponding to the gesture. [0007]However, in above interface apparatus, the user must previously remember the hand gesture usable as the indication. This is a burden for the user to indicate by the hand gesture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]The present invention is directed to an interface apparatus and an interface method for a user to easily perform a posture or a motion of the user's physical part to control the object apparatus without remembering the posture or the motion. [0009]According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for interfacing with a control object apparatus, comprising: an image input unit configured to input an image including a user's physical part; a gesture recognition unit configured to recognize a posture or a motion of the user's physical part from the image; a control unit configured to control the control object apparatus based on an indication corresponding to the posture or the motion; and a gesture information display unit configured to display an exemplary image of the posture or the motion recognized by the gesture recognition unit. [0010]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method for interfacing with a control object apparatus, comprising: inputting an image including a user's physical part; recognizing a posture or a motion of the user's physical part from the image; controlling the control object apparatus based on an indication corresponding to the posture or the motion; and displaying an exemplary image of the posture or the motion recognized for the user's reference to indicate the control object apparatus. [0011]According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a computer readable medium storing program codes for causing a computer to interface with a control object apparatus, the program codes comprising: a first program code to input an image including a user's physical part; a second program code to recognize a posture or a motion of the user's physical part from the image; a third program code to control the control object apparatus based on an indication corresponding to the posture or the motion; and a fourth program code to display an exemplary image of the posture or the motion recognized for the user s reference to indicate the control object apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an HGUI apparatus according to a first embodiment. [0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a gesture recognition unit 2 in FIG. 1. [0014]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partial region generated by a partial region generation unit 21 in FIG. 2. [0015]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of classifiers of an object detection unit 22 in FIG. 2. [0016]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram to explain processing of the object detection unit 22. [0017]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of one example of a screen controlled by a control unit in FIG. 1. [0018]FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of hand gesture for operation. [0019]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of one example of hand gesture user interface by a gesture information display unit 4 in FIG. 1. Continue reading about Interface apparatus and interface method... 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